Her body

Kenny came to the shop yesterday to get a sanitary pad, but her countenance tell she was shy. The way she looked around to confirm if I was the only one in the shop before she could utter sanitary pad out. After handling her the pad, she said, “Could I get a nylon?” I said sure. After she left, I wondered why girls are always so afraid of their bodies. I use to act like Kenny whenever I get to the Alfa’s shop selling provisions across my hostel. I would go inside the shop to pick the pad and request for nylon afterwards. We made it feel like it’s bad to menstruate. The girls feel so uncomfortable in their own bodies. I remember when I first got my period as a teenager. I had to go meet my mom to give me some money so I could get some sanitary pads. She laughed and said, you are now a woman, Tee. I remember a friend who once told us her mom said, whenever a guy touch you after you get your first period, you would get pregnant. At first, she believed it and made sure she sent away all guys around her because she was scared to have a teenage pregnancy. She told her that, to make her run away from guys.

On several occasions girls have been called prostitutes either by street boys or drivers or by elderly ones. Here in Lagos, once you are using an iPhone or a phone that is expensive you are hoe. Ladies are been embarrassed for using expensive stuffs because the society made them believe they can never afford such or else it was given to them by men. Main reason women do not have a voice today because she’s supposed to be a housewife who is been given instruction by her husband. One fateful day, I was at a particular area in the school environment. I didn’t know a student had hit a bike man with his car. And the bike man happened to be an indigene of Oyo state. I was on bike with my best friend when these street boys said we were not allowed to pass that vicinity, that it was one of us boyfriend who had hit the rider. My friend and I were lost because we didn’t know what they were talking about. They started throwing stones at us to get down from the bike and started calling us names like Hoes. I was embarrassed that day. Women are being insulted because of their bodies, everyday. The first insult a lady get is “Ashawo” meaning prostitute. It doesn’t matter what you are putting on, you are one.

Some people would say you are not supposed to wear clothes below your knees, you should wear some certain clothes, forgetting it’s your body. You own your body and you can do whatever you like with it. Some feel comfortable putting on short dresses, why some prefer long dresses, some prefer trousers, some prefer skirts. Let them know what they want without you pushing religion into it. I’ve seen students who came in as Jehovah’s witnesses but ended up wearing trousers and jewelries in school because their parents pushed it to them. It’s important to know what your kids like so they don’t get easily influenced in school. When a lady enters a room with a short dress, eyes are on her and all she will be thinking Is for the ground to open up and swallow her. Even ladies like her, who are wishing they could wear the same would eye her, is it your body? You can do whatever you want with your body. Some people, in the name of correcting you would insult you. Who told you they needed your validation? If you don’t know how to correct people in a good manner, why not ignore, instead of making anyone feel like shit.

I watched a movie on Netflix yesterday. The title is, GRAND ARMY. There was this girl named JOEY, everyone thought she’s a bad bitch. In the first and second episode I literally believed she was a bitch, because she flirted with guys and even dared a female teacher who scolded her for wearing a short. Little did we know, she was a virgin. It was after she got raped by her two male friends we discovered she was a virgin. You really can’t judge a book by its cover. The girls you see that covers their bodies most of them are in town doing the unexpected. Stop assuming the girls that act like bitch are really the real bitch. A female child Might love skimpy dresses but then have a beautiful heart. Stop making people feel less of themselves. Stop making girls feel so ashamed of their bodies.